Volunteering is about lifting others up and spreading good in the world. It is a form of selfless mutual help that increases the skills of the volunteer and also provides a lot of benefits for those being helped. Volunteerism so powerful, it is often considered as part of governmental policy in some countries and is the leading force for development. So, volunteering is a noble and rewarding act. To get you more interested in volunteering, here are six facts about volunteering that we have compiled.

 

  • Volunteers are mostly concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa

 

According to the United Nations Volunteer Annual Report 2014, 61 percent of UN volunteers are situated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Coming up in second place are the Arab States, with 15 percent volunteers. Asia is in third place, with 10% of volunteers assigned. Volunteers are mostly assigned in Eastern Africa, with 1,082 UN volunteers serving.

 

  • In 2013, Turkmenistan had the largest amount of volunteers globally

 

In its 2014 annual report, UK-based Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found that 53% of the population in Turkmenistan volunteered their time and skills. Coming up second are Myanmar and Sri Lanka, with 51% and 50% respectively. Volunteer rates have declined in the U.S., with only 44% volunteering.

 

  • Volunteering increases physical health and fitness

 

The Make a Difference Day Survey conducted by ICM Research in 2004 showed the remarkable effects of volunteering and physical health. 47% of volunteers surveyed say that volunteering has improved their overall fitness, and 25% of volunteers who volunteer more than five times a year say that volunteering has helped them lose weight!

Additionally, volunteering helps build good habits. 22% of volunteers aged 18-24 years old say volunteering has helped reduce their alcohol consumption and 30% say it helped them cut down on tobacco. But it’s not only beneficial for youngsters. A staggering 63% of older volunteers (25-34 years of age) who have volunteered for more than two years say that they were less stressed. The same goes for the 62% of volunteers aged over 65 years.

 

  • Volunteers are more employable

 

The Corporation for National and Community Service in the United States found that volunteers were 27% more likely to be employed. This is thought to be the result of developing intra- and inter-personal skills during volunteer work. Additionally, according to a TimeBank Employer Attitude Survey in 2004, 68% of employers feel that volunteering adds skills to their workforce.

 

  • Volunteering makes you get “helper’s high”

 

In a literature review written by Stephen Post in The International Journal of Person Centered Medicine (Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 814-829), it is shown that volunteering can induce a state called “helper’s high”, where volunteers felt a state of euphoria when they began volunteering. The study cited was conducted by Allen Luks, who observed thousands of American volunteers. Half of the subjects reported experiencing a “high” feeling when they began to volunteer and 21% felt greater feelings of self-worth. “Helper’s high” is associated to better psychological well-being and is being considered as therapy for those with depression and anxiety.

 

  • Volunteering accelerates development

 

The force of volunteers is one to be reckoned with. They have the power to change lives of communities and accelerate development. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service in the United States, over the past 13 years, volunteers in America have volunteered a total of 104.9 billion hours, which is estimated to be worth USD 2.1 trillion. That’s a lot of money!

In India, UN volunteers have provided rehabilitation and education services for children with special needs under the Malsawm Initiative. Working with local organizations, the special needs school established with cooperation from locals and volunteers saw a 100% increase in enrolment. UN volunteers are also working to raise awareness of children with special needs through events and workshops.

In South Sudan, UN volunteers are working together with UN Peacekeeping Forces to protect internally displaced persons (IDP). Volunteers provided health and education services to the unfortunate IDPs.

These are only small examples of the power of volunteers in driving change.
So, those are our six facts about volunteering. Hopefully, it inspires you to take on volunteering, as it is proven to have a lot of benefits and is a powerful force!